There is a wealth of academic research that suggests that differences in risk appetite are at the heart of differences in career and business trajectories. We wanted to go beyond the theory and ask real people from the community about their perspectives and experiences with risk and risk taking.

Manu Shahi | Business Owner and Education Consultant

I accept change and as a person I am open to learning to make any improvements to myself. I like to move forward, but at times I do not take enough time to do introspections. For me, yesterday ended last night and I like to get over it as fast as I can. I do feel I am hard on myself and that causes some form of stress, but this part of my personality of risking things in life. I thrive under pressure and feel some form of stress gives us that energy to move forward. The problem is that people are afraid of taking a risk because they are afraid of rejection, failure, or change. We think of risk, and our brain will go into fight or flight mode. Fear of risk is not that bad; it makes you feel alive. If you have that in you to live your dream and make it a reality, then get up and take the risk. Think in your head on what is the worst that can happen, and then go for it.  A calculated risk that will benefit you regardless of the outcome is worth it when you take it. Read more>>

Bailey Toksoz | Self-Actualization Photographer to Help you Witness & Embody your Fullest Expression Through Spiritual Practices & Soul Portraits

Taking risks has proven to be the greatest accelerator for stepping into my power in my life and in my career. There have been times where I was unsure if I was making an incredibly irresponsible decision or if this jump would lead to the greatest reward that I could ever imagine. Growth lives just beyond the edge of fear. When we take a risk and stretch ourselves, it does something for us. It shows us how much we can achieve when we’re given the opportunity and it gives us the courage & confidence to overcome adversity. Not only does it give us this swift momentum of courage to achieve our wildest dreams, it also signals to the universe that we mean business, that we are choosing ourselves and that we are ready to show up in service of our fullest expression. I got my first photography job by relentlessly interacting with this advertising agency. They had posted a job that totally lit me up and I had to go for it. I was way under-qualified for the assignment but I went for it. Read more>>

Demarcus McGaughey | Experienced Graphic Designer, International Artist and Certified Life Coach

For me taking a risk is being Courageous.. It’s being scared but still doing it. It’s getting out of your comfort zone. When taking a risk I always ask myself “What am I willing to lose, to have what I want?” In the year of 2020 I took a lot of risks. I became a “responsible, intentional Yes Man.” Those Risks are now paying off. Read more>>

Jose Vargas | Owner at 5 Star HVAC Contractors

I feel like you need to take risks, it should be calculated risks but without risks there will be no reward. I’ve learned that it’s hard to get out of your comfort zone and take risks. But some of the best changes we’ve made or contracts we’ve been awarded were by taking risks. It can be very scary to take that risks but once you do it and it pays off you’ll feel so much stronger. I think you need to take risks in your business To achieve the goals you have set for yourself. You can play it safe and stay in your comfort zone but you will never see what else you can achieve without taking risks. Those will change your life and business. Read more>>

Cameron Brown | Public Figure

The bigger the risk the greater the reward. If you really want something you have to make some kind of sacrifice. But once you close one door, another one opens. Every time. And in my experiences that other door always had something greater for me behind it. Taking risks has nothing but benefit my life. Just let go and go for it and stop worrying about being horrible at it. If you stick with it and stay consistent, there’s no telling how great you could be. Trust me, risking a few weekends of going out drinking to stay home and put some time into your own craft, business, brand or whatever it is you’re trying to build, will all be worth it in the end. Read more>>

Christian Williams | Rapper, Engineer, Entrepreneur

Taking risks has been the staple of my life and career. Against all opinions I left my home state to start over in Georgia where I attended Georgia Southern University and played football on a full scholarship. I graduated from there in 2018 and had a big decision to make. Either I leave GA and go home to pursue my rap career and entrepreneurship or, I choose another place to start over and just wing it when I get there. Long story short I decided to move to San Antonio, Tx. And get a fresh start mentally, spiritually, and physically. My first 6 months in SATX I alternated between the couch, the floor and an air mattress. I recorded in a cold garage, and really broke out of my shell. Risks have been what motivate me to prove people wrong. I’ve been doing that my entire life. Read more>>

Piper Klee-Waddle | Professional Culinary Gardener

Risk-taking is the linchpin for entrepreneurs. If you are not open to taking a chance you will miss the most unique and seemingly mundane opportunities. It’s also what keeps us up at night and what makes it hard for others to relate to us. Read more>>

April and Jason Sapp | DFW Luxury Wedding Photographers

Even though it is scary and I wouldn’t recommend taking a risk without really thinking it through with all your important people first, I would say risks are essential. You have to take leaps of faith in your life and business that will transform you forever. If no one took risks back in the day how would we ever know you could sit on a plane for 2 hours to get to your destination rather than 9 hours in a car? So many good things have happened in our business because we took a risk and trusted what our gut was telling us. With much prayer and consideration action needed to happen next. We are now able to work full time as a husband and wife photography team all because we said yes. Read more>>

Chris Salters | Freelance Video Editor & Motion Designer

In general, I don’t consider myself a risky person. Sure, I try to enjoy adventurous things when time allows, like mountain biking, but I’m not very good and can easily get deterred by the sight of what I’d consider to be a mischievous looking rock. Stepping back and thinking about at my career though, you might think otherwise. Was it a risk in college to switch my major out of engineering so I could focus on my video editing hobby more? My parents probably thought so at the time. Was moving cross-country to Los Angeles a week after graduating for a $10 per hour production assistant job risky? Possibly. After hitting a stride and editing on advertising campaigns for movies like Jurassic World and Inside Out, was it a risk to leave LA for Dallas/Fort Worth so my wife and I could be closer to family? Depends on who you ask. Then after landing on my feet in the sports entertainment market in DFW, was it a risk to strike out on my own as a freelance video editor? My kids don’t think so. In the end I don’t consider anything in my career as risky, but maybe untraditional. Read more>>

Empress Hyder | Entrepreneur

I truly believe you miss most and I mean most of the opportunities you do not take. I love a good challenge. Honestly it has made me the multi-passionate entrepreneur I am today. The great think about a risk is you’ll either be successful or fail and if you fail, you simply try again. Read more>>

Giovanni Mr Amazing | Music Artist & Producer

Taking risks are a part of success. If you play it safe every time, you will only go so far. There’s an old saying: “Scared money don’t make money.” If you are too afraid to take a loss, you will not get as far as you dream to be. Business is a gamble. In my experience, I’ve taken risks and have seen losses and rewards as well. I always keep in mind, anything I lose, I can get it again. Read more>>

Keri McClellan | Makeup Artist

I think taking risks go hand-in-hand with having faith. When you step out on faith you don’t know most of the process. You know, the where, the how….you just take a step to get out there. Taking that step without thinking about having the perfect resources has helped me a lot in my life and within my business. Sure, I’m not exactly where I want to be yet supplementing my income from my 9-5 job but I’m surely not where I used to be. I think it’s necessary to take risks to get out of your comfort zone in order to achieve success. Read more>>

Rickey “Slikk Muzik” Offord | 2 Time Grammy Producer

I feel that taking risks is what changed my life/career for the better. It allowed me to become an entrepreneur business owner, 2 time Grammy Award wining multi platinum music producer. 1st quarter of 2013 I made a decision to walk away from my corporate America job and moved from my hometown Dallas to Los Angeles, California to pursue my music career full time. I had been producing music since I was a kid but hadn’t reached that level of opportunity that I had been working so hard towards. I made the decision to take this risk after months of much strategizing, preparation and planning. No matter how much I planned and prepared, it was still risky to leave my “9 to 5” with benefits to pursue my dreams. But now, I’m extremely grateful that I did! I wouldn’t sit here and paint a fairy tale picture and say the risks I took for my career brought me all success. That’s not true. I took plenty of losses before I started seeing the wins, but I have no regrets on the decisions I made. They paid off for me after much persistence and determination. But the risks I took played a major part of who I am today. Read more>>